A uniform bank is returning to a Stoke-on-Trent market to help local families prepare for the next school year.

Becky, who runs the Community CAN stall in Tunstall, is reopening the uniform bank today (Friday 14 August) for its fourth year in the market.

After supporting 218 children with uniform items in 2025, the bank will reopen on Fridays and Saturdays in August allowing families to purchase pre-loved and donated clothing with a suggested donation.

The stall owner – who ran a uniform bank for eight years before opening one at Tunstall Market – said she was motivated to start the initiative due to high uniform costs.

She said: "Originally it was literally the cost of the uniform, so how much it was actually costing families.

"Typically, a high school uniform costs about £80 pounds for the basic items that you need, and that's without the additional add-ons: the shirts, the school shoes, the bags, the stationery and everything else.

"It just seemed like if there was something that I could do to support the community then that was great."

For Becky, supporting the community is something that remains important year-round.

Through the Community CAN, a 'social supermarket', she helps families buy food for less using surplus food stocks from supermarkets, manufacturers and food charities.

The uniform bank – which is open from 12pm to 4pm – contains a range of items including blazers, shirts, trousers, skirts and PE kits.

A range of pre-loved logo items, such as blazers are available, which are mainly donated by families with children attending schools in the area surrounding Tunstall.

"I think the Stoke-on-Trent community, and certainly the Tunstall community, is really close and really strong," Becky added.

"Everyone looks after each other and gets signposted to support."

The uniform bank also includes some new items, such as packs of shirts donated by supermarkets after they have been taken out of their packets or purchased using profit made from last year's uniform bank.

Families are encouraged to visit the uniform bank in person to look at what items are available, and there is a suggested donation for each of the items.

The donations are used to cover the cost of running the bank and sourcing more items for next year.

Becky said: "Some items are donated from shops e.g. opened packs of shirts.

"But the quality of what we get donated is fantastic. Everything that comes in is checked and I steam every item clothing, so it's good to go."

Donations can be made at Tesco in Kidsgrove, which has supported the initative for several years. Uniforms can also be donated directly to Becky at the Community CAN.

The uniform bank is also supported by returning volunteers Zara, 19, and Mystaya, 15, who use their local knowledge to help students choose their uniform.

Becky said: "They also know about the schools; they know about what looks good, what doesn't look good.

"They can advise on various things like PE kits, like 'don't take the skort, wear the leggings,' that kind of thing."

Becky explained the importance of helping children feel excited about choosing their own uniform.

She said: "When I did it during COVID, obviously we couldn't have people in, and I was having to pack things up for families just to collect.

"That was really hard because you want the children to come in and decide which skirt they like. Especially primary school age, do they want an all-in-one dress, do they want a skirt, do they want it to be straight, do they want it to have pleats in it?

"When they come into the uniform bank, they can have a look at the different ones we've got about their size and pick the one that they like.

"It's getting them involved in the whole process."

The Community CAN Uniform Bank will be open on Fridays and Saturdays in the last three weeks of August (14, 15, 21, 22, 28 and 29 August) from 12pm to 4pm.

Families are encouraged to visit in person to see what stock is available.

To find out more about the Community CAN and the uniform bank, visit the Facebook page here.